Cutlery sharpener



Sept. 30, 1958 w. F. LAMISON CUTLERY SHARPENER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1v FiledAug. 6, 1956 INVENTOR g William F. Lcmison X22 2 .r f

Sept. 30, 1958 w. F. LAMISON CUTLERY SHARPENER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 -FiledAug. 6, 1956 INVENTOR William F. Lcmison 6N mm I. mm mm H XMW "27 H.

p 30, 1958 w. F. LAMISON 2,853,837

CUTLERY SHARPENER Filed Aug. 6, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 4| 7 INVENTOR -74William F. Lumison United. Sttes CUTLERY SHARPENER Application August 6,1956, Serial No..602,367

7 Claims. (Cl. 51-135) This invention relates to cutlery sharpeners andparticularly to a cutlery sharpener of the type disclosed in my PatentNo. 2,677,218. I have improved that cutlery sharpener in a number ofrespects whereby the mechanism is simpflfied and reduced in cost whileat the same time the parts are made much more easily assemblable anddisassemblable, use of the sharpener in the sharpening of cutlery ismade easier, the sharpener is more reliable in operation and has longerlife and provision is made for manually carrying the sharpener withgreat facility.

My improved cutlery sharpener may comprise an endless sharpeningelemcnt, guide means for guiding the endless sharpening element, a motorhaving a shaft carrying a driving pulley for driving the endlesssharpening element, the driving pulley being disposed inside the endlesssharpening element, the motor comprising parts maintained in assembly byelongated connecting members such as bolts extending generally parallelto the motor shaft, and a supporting structure for the guide means andmotor, the motor being pivotally mounted in the supporting structure byone of the elongated connecting members sothat gravity acts on the motorto cause the driving pulley ,to maintain the endless sharpening elementtaut. The supporting structure may include a motor basehaving spacedapart generally upstanding portions and said one of the elongatedconnecting members .may project from the motor and enter said spacedapart generally upstanding portions of the motor base to pivotally mountthe motor in the supporting structure so that gravity acts on the motorto cause the driving pulley to maintain theendless sharpening elementtaut. Such mounting of the motor greatly simplifies and reduces the costof'thesharpener, eliminating parts and reducing the manufacturingcost.

vThe driving pulley is normally vdisposed inside the endless sharpeningelement but the endless sharpening element may be removed. A bumper ispreferably provided which may be carried by the supportinglstruc'ture inposition to be engaged by a portion of the motor when the endlesssharpening element has been removed to limit the pivotal movement ofthemotor under the action of gravity,,the bumper beingpositioned in thepathv of movement of theme-tor relatively belowthe position normallyoccupied by the motor when the endless sharpening element is in placeand maintained taut by the driving pulley. A handle ispreferably'provided for carrying the cutlery sharpener in one hand, thehandle being carried by the top of the motor and having its gripportion, generally in vertical alignment with the centerof gravity ofthe sharpener. The handle preferably has a connecting portion connectedwith the top of the motor and a grip portion extending generally towardthe guide means and having its extremity nearer the guide means free.

The. supporting structure preferably has a portion limiting generallyupward pivotal movement of the ureter about its pivotal mounting so thatwhen the .cutlery sharpener is being carried by its handle. the endlesssharpening element is not under stress yet the normal posiatent Q tionof the motor relatively to the guide means is approximately maintained.The combination of said portion of the supporting structure with thebtunper and handle insures that when the sharpening element has beenremoved the normal position of the motor relatively to the guide meansis approximately maintained and when the cutlery sharpener is beingcarried by the handle the endless sharpening element is not under stressyet the normal position of they motor relatively to the guide means isapproximately maintained.

I provide a removable and replaceable back-up plate in contact with theinside of the sharpening element opposite the cutlery being sharpened.The back-up plate may-be reversible end for end, it may be invertibleand it is preferably both reversible'end for end and invertible, thussubstantially quadrupling its life. The back-up plate may be carriedby abacking up structure inside the endless sharpening element, whichbacking up structure may have positioning means extending generallytoward the sharpening element, and the back-up. plate may have recessmeans receiving the positioning means whereby the back-up plate ismaintained in position. For example, the positioning means may comprisetwo spaced apart pins and the back-up plate may have two holestherethrough having the same spacing as the pins so that the back-upplate may fit over the .pins with either side up and with either end ofthe back-up platedisposed in either direction.

A casing is preferably provided about the endless sharpening element,the casing having therein an opening through which the endlesssharpening element is exposed to permit cutlery to be positioned againsta reach of the endless sharpening element for sharpening. I may providea cutlery rest tofacilitate proper positioning of the cutlery beingsharpened. The cutlery rest may be mounted within the casing and mayhavea portion projecting through the opening and having at its outerextremity a cutlery engaging surface extending generally in the samedirection as said reach of the endless sharpening element. The cutleryrest may be carried by the casing internally or externally andadjustably positionable relatively to the casing so that the cutleryrest may be adapted for positioning difierent articles of cutlery forsharpening.

,the plane of the endless sharpening element to alter the angle of tiltof the reach of the endless sharpeningelcment against which cutlery ispositioned to be sharpened, and a cutlery guide for guiding cutlerybeing sharpened pivoted to the guide means and having a slidingconnection with the supporting structure maintaining the cutlery guidein substantially uniform orientation. The guide means may have therein atransverse upwardly open socket and the cutlery guide may have atransverse member such as a rod adapted to be seated in the bottom ofthe socket of the guide means whereby the cutlery guide is pivotallyconnected with the guide means and is also easily removable therefrom.Indeed, the guide means preferably has therein two transverse upwardlyopen sockets and the cutlery guide preferably has two transverse memberssuch as rods imparting increased rigidity to the cutler'y guide, one ofwhich transverse members is adapted to be seated in the bottom of one ofthe sockets of the guide means whereby the cutlery guide is pivotallyconnected with the guide means while the other transverse member isfreel'y movable in the other socket,

the cutlery guide as a consequence being easily removable from the guidemeans.

The supporting structure preferably has a generally horizontal studconnected therewith and projecting therefrom with the outer end of thestud free. The stud may be connected with the supportingstructure in anyappropriate manner, as, for example, by screwing it into a threaded boreof the supporting structure. The guide means for guiding the endlesssharpening element may have a bore therein adapted to receive the studwhereby the guide means are pivotally supported by tl e supportingstructure and means may be connected with the supporting structure tohold'the guide means against slipping off of the free end of the stud.The guide means may have two rollers about which the endless sharpeningelement is adapted to be disposed and shafts are preferably providedupon which the rollers are mounted. Means may be connected with theshafts at theopposite side of the supporting structure from the side atwhich the stud projects for turning the guide means about the axis ofthe stud. One of the rollers may have flanges whose inner faces arespaced apart a distance approximating the width of the endlesssharpening element to insure proper tracking of the endless sharpeningelement on the guide means.

Other details, objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent as the following description of a present preferred embodimentthereof proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a present preferred embodimentof the invention in which Figure l is a perspective view of a cutlerysharpener;

Figure 2 is an end view of a cutlery sharpener as viewed from the end atwhich the endless sharpening element and the casing containing it aredisposed, the end cover ofthe casing being removed, the endlesssharpening element being indicated by a heavy chain line;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view taken on theline IIIIII of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal cross-sectional view taken on theline IV-IV of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view taken on theline V-V of Figure 6 but with the parts in a different operativeposition from that shown in Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view taken on theline VIVI of Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, my cutlery sharpenercomprises a supporting structure designated generally by referencenumeral 2 and shown as being generally planar to which supporting feet 3of rubber or other suitable material are attached. The sup: portingstructure 2 comprises a motor base designated generally by referencenumeral 4 which comprises two spaced apart upstanding portions 5. Anelectric motor 6 is provided, the motor being of the type comprisingbody and end parts maintained in assembly by elongated connectingmembers such as bolts extending generally parallel to the motor shaft.The motor parts are maintained assembled by four bolts 7 one'of which(the lower left-hand bolt 7 of Figure 2) projects at both ends from themotor and enters the portions 5 of the motor base 4, the projecting endsof the bolt acting as trunnions for the motor. The structure at one endof the motor is shown in Figure 3 and the structure at the opposite endis the same. The bolt 7 shown in Figure 3 may be threaded at its endsand cap nuts 8 may be applied. Thus the motor is pivotally mounted inthe supporting structure by one of the bolts maintaining the integrityof the motor, the mounting being eccentric to the center of gravity ofthe motor so that, viewing Figure 2, the motor tends to swing downwardlyand toward the right relatively to the lower left-hand bolt 7 under theaction of gravity. The supporting structure 2 carriesa bumper 9 whichmay be of rubber or other suitable material which is positioned in thepath of swinging movement of the motor about the axis of the lowerleft-hand bolt 7 viewing Figure 2 but below the operative position ofthe motor as will presently be explained. When the endless sharpeningelement presently to be described is 1 removed the motor rests againstthe bumper 9 and the normal position of the motor is approximatelymaintained. In Figure 2 the motor 6 is shown in dotted lines inoperative position slightly spaced from the bumper 9.

A handle 10 for carrying the cutlery sharpener in one hand is carried bythe top of the motor and has its grip portion 11 generally in verticalalignment with the center of gravity of the sharpener. The handle 10 hasa connecting portion 12 connected with the top of the motor and the gripportion 11 extends generally toward the endless sharpening elementpresently to be described and has its extremity nearer such element freeas shown. By means of the handle 10 the cutlery sharpener may be easilycarried by one hand. The motor may be electrically connected with asource of electric current by conductors 12a. The current to the motormay be turned on and off by a switch 12b.

The motor shaft is designated 13 and has fastened to its extremity adriving pulley 14. Between the motor and the pulley the shaft 13 passesthrough an elongated slot 15 in an upstanding casing 16 forming part ofthe supporting structure 2 of the sharpener. When the sharpener islifted by the handle 10 the motor 6 pivots generally upwardly about theaxis of the lower left-hand bolt 7 viewing Figure 2 until the shaft 13engages the upper extremity of the elongated slot 15, such engagementlimiting the extent of upward movement of the motor relatively to thesupporting structure. The amplitude of movement of the motor between itsextreme upper position with the shaft 13 in engagement with the upperextremity of the slot 15 and its extreme lower position in engagementwith the bumper 9 is not substantially greater than about an inch; thusunder all conditions the normal position of the motor is approximatelymaintained.

Threaded into the casing 16 at 17 so as to form in effect an integralportion of the casing and projecting toward the right viewing Figure 2is a stud 18 having its outer end 19 free. Pivotally mounted on the stud18 are guide means designated generally by reference numeral 20 forguiding the endless sharpening element 44. The guide means 20 comprise ablock 21 of aluminum having a flat bottom face 22, a flat top face 23and curved end faces 24. The block 21 has therein a transverse bore 45receiving the stud 18 and two transverse up wardly open sockets 25 and26, respectively, the socket 25 being relatively shallow and the socket26 being relatively deep and being elongated substantially along acircle are having its center at the socket 25. Projecting slightly abovethe upper surface 23 of the block 21 are two positioning pins 27.Projecting outwardly from each of the side faces of the block 21 are twopositioning pins 28.

A plate 29 is fastened to the block 21 by screws 30, the plate 29 beingdisposed opposite about the lower two-thirds of the block 21 and beingpositioned on the block by two of the four positioning pins 28. Theplate 29 has therein a bore 43 of the same diameter as and coaxial withthe bore 45 in the block 21 through which the stud 18 extends. The plate29 is something like three times as long as the block 21 and extendswell past both of the curved end faces 24. The plate 29 has a bore 31near each end substantially coaxial with the corresponding curved endface 24 of the block 21 and a shaft or spindle 32 extends through eachbore 31. Each spindle 32 has an enlarged portion 33 forming a shoulderabutting the outer face of the plate 29 and a relatively reduced portion34 projecting through the bore 31 and threaded at 35. A spacing collar36 is disposed about the portion 34 of each spindle 32 immediatelyinside the plate 29. A roller 37 mounted upon an anti-friction shown inFigure 3.

bearing 38 is slipped onto the portion 34 of each spindle 32 andmaintained in place against the collar 36 by a 'nut 39 screwed onto thethreaded portion 35 of the spindle. The two rollers 37- are identicalexcept that one of them (the right-hand rollerviewing Figure 4 in theform of structure shown in the drawings) has 'flanges 40 projectingradially beyond the peripheral surface of the roller to coact with theendless sharpening element 44 to insure proper tracking of the endlesssharpening element. The inner faces of the flanges 40 are spaced apart adistance approximating the width of the endless sharpening element 44.The flanges might be applied to the other roller or they could beapplied to both rollers but 'I find that proper tracking of the endlesssharpening eleto which the plate 29 is applied is a similar-plate 41positioned by the'two positioning .pins 28 at that side of the block andheld in place by screws 42. Each of the plate 41 and the plate 29 has asemi-circular cut-out 46 at the upper edge thereof in transversealignment with the bottom of the socket 26 in the 'block'21. The plate41 does not have a bore corersponding to the bore 43 of the plate 29,and the plate 41 has bores 47 receiving the outer extremities of thespindles 32, the bores 47 being somewhat smaller than the bores 31 ofthe plate 29 since the outer extremities of the spindles are of reducedtransverse dimension relatively to the portions 34 thereof as shown inFigure 4. Thus the spindles 32 are supported and positioned by the block21 through the plates 29 and 41.

The casing 16 has arcuate openings 48 through which the spindles 32project.- A bar 49 has therein bores 50 receiving the portions of thespindles 32 outside the enlargements 33 as shown in Figure 4, cap nuts51 being applied to the ends of the spindles to maintain the bar 49 inplace. arcuate extension 52 having therein an arcuate slot 53 throughwhich projects a threaded stud 54 mounted in the casing 16 andprojecting outwardly therefrom as A clamping nut 55 is threaded onto thestud 54'and clamps the extension 52 against the easing 16 to maintainthe bar 49 in desired adjusted positions. The extremity of the bar 49projects outwardly beyond the edge of the casing 16 and forms anoperating handle 56. When thevclamping nut 55 is loosened the operatinghandle 56' may be raised or lowered to alter the angularity of the 'bar49.and consequently also of the guide means 20 which comprisescollectively the block 21, the rollers 37 and the other elements abovedescribed.

There is provided a cutlery guide for guiding cutlery being sharpened,the cutlery guide being designated generally be reference numeral 57 andcomprising two opposed plates 58 of the shape clearly shown in Figures 2and 5, the plates 58 being connected together to form a rigid unit bytransverse members in the form of rods 59 disposed respectively in thesockets 25 and 26. The righthand rod 59 viewing Figure 5 is seated inthe bottom of the socket 25 as shown in Figure 5 while the left-hand rod59 is freely movable in the socket 26 when the angle of tilt of theguidemeans 20 is changed. One of the plates 58 has therein an inclinedslot 60 and a pin 61 connected with the casing 16 projects into theinclined slot 60. The inclination of the slot 60 is such that when theangle of tilt of the guide means 20 is changed, which results inmovement of the right-hand rod 59 viewing Figure 5 is an are about thecenter of the stud 18, the upper surface of the cutlery guide 57 remainssubstantially horizontal. Such upper surface is designated by thereference numeral 62. Cutlery to be sharpened is laid across the cutleryguide upon the surface 62 with theedge to be sharpened against theendless sharpening element 44 which as the drawings show movessubstantial- The bar 49 has a generally downward 'ly within the crotchof the cutlery guide. 57 nearthe righthand end thereof viewing Figures 2and 5 where the upward projection 63vof the cutlery guide meets the bodythereof. In this respect the cutlery guide is similar to that shown inmy prior patent but the structure of the cutlery guide and itsxmountingin the sharpener are sim- :plified and the cutlery guide of the presentapplication may more easily be removed Applied to the top of the-block21 is a.- removable and replaceable back-up plate 64. The back-up plate64 has therethrough two bores65 respectively receiving the positioningpins 27 as shown in Figures 2 and 5. The bores 65 are positioned equallydistant from the ends of the back-up plate 64' so that the back-up plateisreversible end for end and also invertible. The endless sharpeningelement 44 is pressed against the back-up plate 64 as it is used forsharpening cutlery so-the plate 64'is-subject to wear. The greatest wearoccurs ina relatively localized zone where the cutlery presses theendless sharpening element against the back-up plate, which zone is nearthe crotch .of the cutlery guide 57. When the back-up plate has beeninitially worn at that zone it may be turned end for end and theninverted and'finally again turned end for end thus giving substantiallythe wear of four back-up plates which are not reversible end for end orinvertible.

The casing 16 has an opening 66 through which the endless sharpeningelement 44 is exposed to permit cutlery to be positioned against theupper reach .of the sharpening element as shown in Figures 2 and 5. Acut- .lery rest 67 is provided to facilitate proper positioning of thecutlery being sharpened. The cutlery rest 67 is mounted within thecasing 16 but has its upper portion projecting through the opening 66 inthe casing and has at its upper or outer extremity a cutlery engagingsurface 68 extending generally in the same direction as the upper reachof the endless sharpening element 44 as shown in Figures 2 and 5. Thecutlery rest 67 is adjustably positionable relatively to the casing 16so as to be adapted for positioning difierent articles of cutlery forsharpening. A threaded stud 69 projects outwardly from the cutlery rest67 and through a slot 70 in the casing 16. A clamping nut 71 is threadedonto the stud 69 to clamp the cutlery rest 67 in adjusted positionsagainst the inner face of the casing 16.

The casing 16 has connected with the left-hand upstanding portionthereof viewingFigure 3 and projecting substantially therethrough a stud72 having a reduced threaded extremity 73. The casing is adapted to beclosed at the end of the cutlery sharpener by a cover 74 which isapplied thereto and which has a bore 75 into which the reduced threadedextremity 73 of the stud 72 extends, a clamping nut 76 being threadedonto the reduced threaded extremity 73 of the stud 72 to maintain thecover 74 in place as shown in chain lines in Figure 3.

The endless sharpening element 44 may as known to those skilled in theart be formed of any suitable material for sharpening cutlery, beingnormally constituted by a flexible backing having fine abrasiveadhesively applied to the outer surface thereof.

.While I have shown and described a present preferred embodiment of theinvention it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is notlimited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied within the scopeof the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a cutlery sharpener, an endless sharpening element, guide meansfor guiding the endless sharpening element, a motor having a shaftcarrying a driving pulley for driving the endless sharpening element,the driving pulley being disposed inside the endless sharpening element,the motor comprising body and end parts, elongated connecting membersextending generally parallel to the motor shaft maintaining the body andend parts in assembly and a supporting structure for the sharpeningelement guide means and motor, the motor being pivotally mounted in thesupporting structure by one of said elongated connecting members so thatgravity acts on the motor to cause the driving pulley to maintain theendless sharpening element taut.

2. In a cutlery sharpener, an endless sharpening element, guide meansfor guiding the endless sharpening element, a motor having a shaftcarrying a driving pulley for driving the endless sharpening element,the driving pulley being disposed inside the endless sharpening element,the motor comprising body and end' parts elongated connecting membersextending generally parallel to the motor shaft maintaining the body andend parts in assembly and a supporting structurefor the sharpeningelement guide means and motor including a motor base having spaced apartgenerally upstanding portions, one of the elongated connecting membersprojecting from the motor and entering said spaced apart generallyupstanding portions of the motor base whereby the motor is pivotallymounted in the supporting structure so that gravity acts on the motor tocause the driving pulley to maintain the endless sharpening elementtaut.

3. In a cutlery sharpener, an endless sharpening element, guide meansfor guiding the endless sharpening element, a motor having a shaftcarrying a driving pulley for driving the endless sharpening element,the driving pulley being normally disposed inside the endless sharpeningelement, a supporting structure for the guide means and motor, the motorbeing pivotally mounted in the supporting structure so that gravity actson the motor to cause the driving pulley when inside the endlesssharpening element to maintain the endless sharpening element taut, anda bumper of resilient material carried by the supporting structureadapted to be engaged by a portion of the motor when the endlesssharpening ele- 'ment has been removed to limit the pivotal movement ofthe motor under the action of gravity, the bumper being positioned inthe path of movement of the motor relatively below the position normallyoccupied by the motor when the endless sharpening element is in placeand maintained taut by the driving pulley.

4. In a cutlery sharpener, a generally planar supporting structure,mounting means carried by the supporting structure, an endlesssharpening element mounted on the mounting means, a motor having a shaftcarrying a driving pulley for driving the endless sharpening element,the motor being mounted on the supporting structure generally beside themounting means for the endless sharpening element, and a handle forcarrying the cutlery sharpener in one hand, the handle being carried infixed position by the top of the motor and having its grip portionextending toward the mounting means so as t0,

be generally in vertical alignment with the center of gravity of thesharpener.

5. In a cutlery sharpener, mounting means, an endless sharpening elementdisposed about the mounting means against which cutlery is adapted to bepositioned for sharpening, means for driving the endless sharpeningelement, supporting means carried by the mounting means, a removable andreplaceable back-up plate in contact with the inside of the sharpeningelement opposite the cutlery being sharpened mounted on the supportingmeans, the supporting means having means holding the back-up plateagainst displacement during operation of the sharpener, the supportingmeans and back-up plate being symmetrically formed so that the back-upplate is reversible on the supporting means.

6. In a cutlery sharpener, a supporting. structure, an endlesssharpening element, guide means for guiding the endless sharpeningelement, means for driving the endless sharpening element, the guidemeans being carriedby the supporting structure and shiftable todifferent angular positions in the plane of the endless sharpeningelement to alter the angle of tiltof the reach of the endless sharpeningelement against which cutlery is positioned to be sharpened, the guidemeans having therein a transverse upwardly open pivot socket, and acutlery guide for guiding cutlery being sharpened, the cutlery guidehaving a transverse member adapted to be seated in the bottom of thepivot socket of the guide means whereby the cut- I lay guide ispivotally connected with the guide means and is also easily removabletherefrom, the cutlery guide also having a pin and slot connection withthe supporting structure. maintaining the cutlery guide in substantiallyuniform orientation with respect to the supporting structure.

7. In a cutlery sharpener, mounting means, an endless sharpening elementdisposed about the mounting means against which cutlery is adapted to bepositioned 'for sharpening, means for driving the endless sharpeningelement, supporting means carried by the mounting means, a removable andreplaceable back-up plate in contact with the inside of the sharpeningelement opposite the cutlery being sharpened mounted on the supportingmeans, the supporting means having positioning means extending generallytoward the sharpening element, the back-up plate having recess meansreceiving the positioning means whereby the back-up plate is maintainedin position, the supporting means and back-up plate being symmetricallyformed so that the back-up plate is reversible on the supporting means.

. References Cited in the file of this patent I amison May 4, 1954

